Paradigm SUB 1 and SUB 2 subwoofers are hexagonal, expensive, loud

Premium audio kit manufacturer Paradigm have obviously had enough of subwoofers being the breezeblock-shaped lump unloved in the corner, and have whipped out their SUB 1 and SUB 2 models. Each high-end hexagon slots neatly into the company’s Reference Signature line, and pack six high-excursion drivers – 8-inch in the SUB 1, 10-inch in the SUB 2 – together with more amplification than most people could realistically need.

In fact, the SUB 1 packs a 1,700W RMS amp capable of 3,400W RMS dynamic peak bursts, and the SUB 2 trounces that with a sustained 4,500W RMS and 9,000W RMS dynamic peak. The unusual driver layout, Paradigm claim, means that vibrations are minimized; a glass of water sat on top of each sub, so they say, “will barely ripple”.

Of course, as with anything hexagonal in life, neither subwoofer comes cheap. The Paradigm SUB 1 is priced at $3,499, while the Paradigm SUB 2 comes in at $7,499; both include the company’s Perfect Bass Kit (PBK) for automatic room correction.

TORONTO, CANDADA – October 1, 2009 – Paradigm Electronics Inc., an international leader in speaker design and manufacturing, introduces the Reference Signature SUB 1 and SUB 2 as the flagship models in its growing line of high-performance, smart subwoofers. The SUB 1 and SUB 2 models are more powerful than any other Paradigm speaker to date; they are completely unique both in their internal elements and aesthetic qualities; and they represent the best in audio bass technology and highest performance characteristics in the subwoofer category.

The SUB 1 and SUB 2 cabinets offer virtually no shaking despite moving vast amounts of energy via the drivers and 3000W “Kilomax” amplifier platform which is capable of 4500W when connected to a 208V or 240V line. The SUB 1’s six high-excursion, low-distortion 8-inch (10-inch for SUB 2) woofers are arranged in stacked pairs and geometrically aligned so the resultant force vectors, producing up to 7,500 watts of dynamic peak power, cancel each other out. Even a full glass of water placed atop the SUB 1 or SUB 2 will barely ripple. This radial alignment concept is successful because the pressure waves inside the cabinet generated by each driver as the cone and voice coil move in and out are effectively cancelled, leaving a silent and distortion-free cabinet.

Another benefit to the new models’ woofer design is their compactness. In the SUB 2, six 10-inch drivers move as much air as a pair of 15-inch or a single 21-inch woofer in a smaller, more compact form factor. Handsome finishes and eye-catching but not overbearing design elements support the ability of these subwoofers to be hidden in plain sight. With the added flexibility conferred by Paradigm’s Perfect Bass Kit (PBK) room correction, staggering performance is assured in just about any listening area.

Advanced scientific features such as AC line voltage detection, power consumption monitoring, and a universal power supply on the SUB 1 and SUB 2 ensure that the subwoofers are fed a diet of clean, unadulterated energy.